Eagles Stay or Go 2020: Will both starting safeties return?

Share

Reuben Frank, Dave Zangaro and Andrew Kulp bring back Stay or Go with the 2020 version, trying to figure out the future of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Today, we’ll look at safeties:

Malcolm Jenkins 

Roob: I find it difficult to believe the Eagles won’t be able to come to a sensible contract extension with Jenkins, who's still one of the Eagles’ best players and an unquestioned leader in that locker room. The franchise that let Reggie go and let Dawk go isn’t going to let Malcolm go.

Verdict: Stays

Dave: Malcolm Jenkins has been one of the most versatile and dependable players in the NFL over the past several seasons. He wants to get a pay raise and he deserves it. He doesn’t deserve to be the highest-paid safety in the NFL but he deserves to be top 7-10. And for how much he means to the Eagles, they have to figure out a way to keep him. 

Verdict: Stays

Kulp: Unlike Roob's choice of Alshon Jeffery, I believe this to be the ultimate stay or go decision for the Eagles this offseason. The club wants to get younger, and giving Jenkins the extension that he is demanding -- and he made it very clear it is a demand this time -- doesn't really mesh with that. On the other hand, the guy pretty much never comes off the field, even on special teams, which makes him almost indispensable. Further complicating the decision, Jenkins looked ordinary early in 2019, but played more like a three-time Pro Bowler down the stretch, so while it wasn't his most dominant season, it's hard to say he experienced a dramatic decline. I won't be surprised if the Eagles trade him, but I think they should keep him as long as he's realistic about the length of a new deal. 

Verdict: Stays

Rodney McLeod 

Roob: McLeod is a pretty solid, under-rated guy, and unless he’s looking to break the bank as a free agent I think he’ll be back. McLeod is the kind of guy who has more value here than as a free agent because he provides Eagles continuity in a secondary that’s going to be changing a lot and he has a comfort level in this defense. 

Verdict: Stays

Dave: A former undrafted player, McLeod has carved out a really nice career, first with the Rams and now in Philadelphia. He has been an important player for the last four years and he obviously likes it here; he took a big pay cut to return in 2019 after an ACL tear the previous season. But he’s 29 and the Eagles should prioritize paying Jenkins and perhaps a free agent corner. This is also McLeod’s last chance for a pay day. 

Verdict: Goes 

Kulp: Jenkins wasn't the only iron man in the secondary this season. McLeod was on the field for all but two snaps, and he played pretty strong for a guy the Eagles forced to take a pay cut in the offseason for some reason. He's a free agent and turns 30, which again would seem to fly in the face of an impending youth movement. But also like Jenkins, it's not easy to replace somebody who plays that many snaps at such a high level. If he makes it to the market, McLeod will get scooped up in a hurry. The Eagles should do what they can to try to prevent that. 

Verdict: Stays

Marcus Epps 

Roob: Epps didn’t join the Eagles until November but he gradually  became a pretty significant guy, averaging close to 20 defensive snaps in the last five games. Jim Schwartz likes him, he’s under contract, he's cheap and there are literally no other promising young safeties on the roster. All all that gives him a fair shot at the 53.

Verdict: Stays

Dave: Epps was a sixth round pick of the Vikings but got to Philly in November and by the end of the season was playing a significant role on defense. He’s young and cheap and wasn’t bad. No reason to toss him aside just yet. 

Verdict: Stays 

Kulp: Here's the other problem with letting either Jenkins or McLeod go: Epps is currently the top reserve safety on the roster. That means if the Eagles' free agency or draft plans fall through, a sixth-round pick who was released by the Vikings in the middle of his rookie year is potentially your starter. Nothing against Epps, but they can't afford to have that happen. And since the club needs to infuse the position with some quality young prospects, he may not even hold on to his current role.

Verdict: Goes

Rudy Ford 

Roob: Ford played a ton on special teams the first two months of the season – a team-high 213 snaps through 10 games -- before winding up on IR. He'll be in training camp if he's healthy, but assuming the Eagles bring in a bunch of young db’s, finding his way back to the 53 will be a challenge.

Verdict: Goes

Dave: Ford ended the season on IR but he was a special teamer before that. That’s probably his most important role, on special teams. But that can be important too. We’ll have to see if the Eagles draft a safety or bring another one in, but for now, I’m cool with keeping Ford as a cheap special teams player. 

Verdict: Stays 

Kulp: For some reason, the Eagles seem really high on Ford as a special teams ace. Yet, this is a guy who accounted for 3.7% of the team's total penalties for the entire season while playing less than 1% of the total plays. He'll be back, but hopefully returns a more disciplined player. 

Verdict: Stays

More on the Eagles

Contact Us